PMD: Rescue Team Roulette (ON HIATUS)
by UrsineEnchantment
Summary: In a world wrought with destruction and tragedy, Jasmine struggles to help those around her maintain faith. Soon she meets Michael, a psyduck whom she must now help adjust to this foreign, terrifying environment. Together, perhaps they can unravel what's really going on and save everyone. That is, if they don't unravel first! Some pokemon just don't deserve the faith you show...
1. Chapter 1

Brittle bits of grass underfoot. The still-strong smell of ash on the breeze. Voices, some tense or distressed, some calmer or even joyful. These were the things Jasmine noticed as she followed behind her parents. A bellsprout raised a leaf in greeting as her father approached. The ground trembled slightly under the steps of his four massive, clawed feet.

"Oh, I'm so glad you could make it, Father Ven! We've been trying our best to clean up, but now that the rescue teams have had to leave for other jobs, we really do need some extra help around here!"

The venusaur dipped his head to the tiny pokemon. "It is no problem at all, Bellsprout. Arceus created us so that we may work together, it is only natural to help our brethren." He gazed around at the blackened bushes, and at the various creatures huddled nearby. "This forest fire has truly done damage." he rumbled. "But remember, my fellow pokemon, fire brings good as well. It will help new plants to grow, stronger than the last. Beneath these ashes, the seeds are already preparing to sprout anew. You must have faith. Arceus sends us these trials to test our willpower. Together, we shall rebuild."

Not all of the pokemon looked very convinced, Jasmine noticed. She supposed, given the sheer amount of increasingly damaging trials the heavens had been raining down upon their world, she could understand their skepticism. But as her wise father said, they had to have faith! Arceus knew what he was doing, he wouldn't abandon them! There was a reason for all of this, and there would be a resolution too! They just had to keep going, and keep helping one another! She gazed up at the massive reptile. "Father, what shall you have me do?" Her mother would be busy comforting the children and elderly, most likely, while he used his strength and wisdom to help the stronger survivors rebuild their shelters and clear away the destroyed brush.

He swiveled his massive head to look down at her, the various beads and trinkets that adorned his neck making soft tinkling sounds as he moved. "Ah yes, my dear, what _shall_ I have you do? Bellsprout," At this he gestured to the pokemon with a vine, beckoning him over. "-there are still many injuries that need to be attended to, is that correct?"

The bell-shaped head nodded, so vigorous in the action that the little plant almost toppled over. "O-oh yes, Father! Blastoise and Feraligatr contributed what supplies they could spare, but they still had to save some to help with other disaster areas! We've run out of berries to treat them, and as you can see…" he waved a leaf at the piles of ash and twigs that stretched all around, "we won't have any growing here for quite some time…"

"Is there a place nearby where we could find more?" The bellsprout fidgeted his leaves together at this, beady eyes avoiding the venasaur's gaze. "U-um, well, there is one place that managed to avoid the fire's hunger…but it happens to be near…w-well, one of _those_ …so I'm sure you can understand, dear Father, why we haven't made any attempts to collect from there." One of _those_? Jasmine's red eyes widened, tiny ears flattening. Oh dear stars, of course they couldn't have collected some in their weakened state! Even strong pokemon never dared to explore such places, except those as brave as the rescue teams! She noticed her father too, though normally such a calm beacon of sureness and strength, had stiffened up slightly, bowing his head in sorrow. "Yes, of course I understand. Truly a pity, it is…"

Jasmine glanced back at the pitiful creatures huddled in a shady corner. A sunflora's yellow petal-like appendages had been ravaged with burns, one particularly bad one oozing green pus. A spearow chick lay propped up against them. They appeared to have endured far worse, bald and scorched almost beyond recognition of its species, in too much pain to even move. Infection had already set in along the massive, festering wounds. It would be a miracle if feathers ever grew back over the scarred tissue. The bulbasaur felt sick, forcing herself to look away as her throat closed up. It just wasn't fair, for such innocent beings to suffer. All the faith in the world still wouldn't heal physical injuries, no matter how much she willed otherwise. Her tiny claws clenched the dirt as she fought back the urge to sob. Or retch, perhaps both. She'd been on so many mission trips like this, forced to watch all of the suffering this world seemed to be full of these days. But knowing that there was actually help, so close, and yet so far away from these fellow pokemon. These sad, broken creatures. It was just too much. Too much for her heart to bear.

"Jasmine? Jasmine, dear child, are you alright?" As the gentle thunder of her father's voice reached her ears, she straightened up, realizing she'd squeezed her eyes shut as she'd gotten lost in her own thoughts. "Are you sick, my daughter? Perhaps it would be best for your mother to take you home. I can work here alone, if need be." The bellsprout too, had reached out a leaf to touch her forehead. "She doesn't feel feverish, Father Ven. Poor girl, whatever is the matter?"

The bulbasaur shook her head, gently nudging the leaf away with a vine. "No. Thank you for the concern, but I am not ill." Her voice was still shaky from her attempts to keep from crying, and she took a shuddering breath in an attempt to steady it. "The undamaged area. You said it was not _in_ one of _those_ , but _near_ it, Bellsprout?"

"E-er, yes, y-yes that is what I said…" he started, very obviously confused. She turned away from him to face her father, standing as firmly as she could. "Father, with your gracious permission, I would like to go and collect some supplies. Or rather, even without it, I shall still go. I beg your forgiveness, but I simply cannot stand by any longer as our fellow brothers and sister suffer like this." Her voice was starting to crack, but she did not cower, continuing to gaze at the regal reptile in front of her.

Father Ven did not speak for several moments, staring down at his daughter in silence. His expression was hard to decipher. It was calm, but what was behind that? Caution, even fear at her request? Anger at her sudden courage and even indignance? The bellsprout stayed silent as he was forced to become a spectator for this tense situation in front of him, roots and stem trembling. Even Jasmine's mother had paused in her tending to the children, watching as her beloved daughter and dearly-trusted husband squared off, unsure which side she was supposed to take.

Finally, Father Ven made a low, deep humming sound, laying down to reach eye-level with the dark green bulbasuar. "Is this truly what you wish, my daughter? Putting your own life at risk, in order to aid those in need?" Jasmine nodded, not a look of pure defiance on her face, but one of calm sureness in her decision. "I have made my choice, father. I cannot sit by when there is an opportunity to help, even if it is an opportunity no one else is willing to take."

The venasaur smiled, reaching with a gentle vine to stroke his daughter's head. "Very well, I will allow you to go. Your courage is admirable, and truly, this is what Arceus is always teaching us. To help when we can, even if it isn't an easy path. For if no one helped others, this world would not be worth living in." He stood up once more, touching one of his many necklaces with a vine. It was a crude wooden thing, but vaguely looked like the god Arceus itself. "May the divine bless your path, Jasmine. I pray you will be able to avoid _that place_. I wish I could go instead, but I am needed here." He gestured towards the many fallen trees and other heavy rubble. No one else would be able to lift it, truly.

Jasmine nuzzled his leg. "I understand, father. Thank you for the blessing. I pray all goes well here, until my return." She turned towards Bellsprout once more. "Which way shall I travel to reach the undamaged forest?"


	2. Chapter 2

**(Author's Note: The end of this chapter does contain a character having a panic attack, which continues slightly into the beginning of Chapter 3. Tread with caution if such an event upsets you. )**

Jasmine was grateful that the air seemed to be clearer the farther she traveled from the settlement. The grass, or rather, what was left of it, was still coated in dark ash that clung to her feet and flew into the air at the slightest disturbance, but overall this trail hadn't been hit as harshly by the raging forest fire. At least here, she could breathe without the stench of burnt wood and flesh assaulting her nostrils. She could see the sky more clearly too, now that layers of smoke didn't exist to block it. A clear blue expanse, without a single cloud to interrupt it. The sun shone on her scaly hide as well without any trees in the way, filling her body with a pleasant warmth (although don't get her wrong, she hoped the trees would grow back). _It truly is a pleasant day._ The bulbasaur mused. _Arceus is still trying to show us the beauty of our world, despite all of these disasters. If only everyone still had enough hope to appreciate it._

Jasmine kept her red gaze alert, pausing frequently to search behind her for any signs of trouble. There didn't seem to be any disturbances here, however. In fact, she'd yet to hear the slightest scuttle of any creatures. Just the crunch of grass and branches under her own four feet. She supposed it made sense. Any wildlife that previously inhabited this trail would have fled when the fire arrived. There would probably be more company when she reached the area Bellsprout had described to her.

Darkness. Darkness and loud ringing. That was all he was aware of.

 _Why won't it stop? It's making my head hurt! Geez, where's that noise even coming from?!_

Slowly unclenching his eyes, he realized he couldn't really see anything. How could he find the source of the noise? Everything was blurry. Splotches of hazy greens and browns, maybe a touch of blue?

 _Where am I?_

He tried to sit up, but the slightest motion made his already pounding head spin. Gagging, he immediately fell back, trying to ignore his clenching stomach and focus on something else. He slowly became aware of a cool breeze. The touch of air brushing across his cheeks was a welcome distraction from the nausea, and he closed his eyes once more, choosing to focus on breathing it in and out. As his stomach began to settle, he became aware of another touch on his face. Why did this feel more solid than the breeze? _Probably just a bug._

His weak attempt at swatting it away proved fruitless. The touching only become more forceful, in fact, it almost felt like he was moving. No, not almost, he was _definitely_ being shaken! _Stop it…_ He tried to ignore it, but finally he'd had enough of whatever this was. Opening his eyes, his bleary gaze stared at a green blob above him. After laying there for a few moments (still being shaken), his vision finally started to adjust. He made another attempt to sit upright, and whatever was shaking him paused, instead helping to pull him forwards and steady him. The movement didn't make his head spin this time, and finally he could see clearly. _A bulbasaur? Is it just me, or does the colour seem weird?_ Its mouth was moving, but all he could hear was that awful ringing noise. _I…I don't understand…_ He shook his head as the creature looked at him, its expression full of concern.

Continuing to sit there, he glanced away from the grass pokemon, instead trying to take in his surroundings. It seemed like a small clearing of some sort, with lush trees and bushes surrounding the edges. In fact, he soon noticed he was under a tree as he gazed upwards. _How did I get here? I can't remember anything…did I fall from the tree…or something?_

A tap on his shoulder forced his attention back to the bulbasaur, and as he turned his head he noticed the ringing seemed to be going away. Finally, he could hear now. Faintly, but he could, and that was better than nothing.

" _Excuse me…can…hear…passed out…ok?"_

It took him a moment to process it, but he got the gist of it. "I…I can hear you now, yeah…kind of…" His voice was faint, as if he hadn't used it in a while, and his mouth felt dry. Why did his mouth feel so weird when he tried to speak? It almost felt…longer? Stretched out, and flattened. _Am I hallucinating? Come to think of it, I can't feel my nose or ears either. I mean, I can breathe and hear, so they've gotta be there, right?!_ Frankly, he was too afraid to try and touch anything to make sure. He decided to focus on the pokemon speaking to him instead. Aw geez, pokemon weren't supposed to talk! Why was he just realizing that now!? _I'm going crazy. That's it, I'm completely nuts! What on earth is going on!?_

"Oh, thank the stars! I was beginning to fear you would _never_ come to! Are you alright? You poor creature! You look rather panicked… _"_ The bulbasaur stepped closer, now having to look up at him slightly. Yeah, it (maybe a she, if the voice was any indication, but he'd rather wait for a name or something than assume) was definitely a weird colour. An orange flower sat behind its right ear too.

"I…where am I? Am I dreaming?" Maybe he wasn't crazy. Dreams could be weird, right?

The reptile smiled gently, stroking his head with a vine. Despite how weird this was, he didn't find the gesture unpleasant enough to flinch away from. It was…pretty calming, actually. "I'm afraid not, unless I am dreaming as well. This area of the forest does not have a name, but we _are_ near Tiny Woods, if that provides any answers to your question." It was close enough for him to smell its breath. It was a sweet aroma, like nectar maybe, but not strong enough to be sickening. Pretty nice, all things considered.

"No, I don't think I've heard of that…" Great. So this wasn't a dream, and he had no idea where he was, or how he'd even gotten here!

"Do you have any idea how you ended up here, in such a dreadful state?" the bulbasaur questioned. "I found you passed out here right under this tree, and I don't think I've seen a psyduck around here before...only near Turtleshell Pond, and that's quite far from here!"

He shook his head vigorously as panic started to set in, burying his face in his hands. "No, I don't know how I got here at all! I, I can't remember anything, like what I was doing, o-or who I might have been with, or how long it's been sin-" Wait. Had it just said _psyduck_?! "Er, what do psyducks have to do with anything?"

He wasn't sure why the bulbasaur was looking at him with such pity and confusion, at least until the words came out of its mouth. "They have to do with _you_ , of course! You look like a psyduck in every way! Let me see your head, perhaps you have some sort of concussion…" This time he flinched harshly away from the vines, scooting backwards as much as he could.

"What do you mean!? Can't you see I'm a hum-" His sentence cut off abruptly as he raised an arm up to block the reptile's reaching tendrils, words replaced with a strangled noise, somewhere between bewilderment and terror. _What?! No, no no no no…_ He quickly staggered to his feet, flailing to keep his balance as he tried to look himself over. The sudden motion made his head spin again, but he fought to ignore it. _No no no no no…_ This wasn't happening. This wasn't happening!

"Please, sit down, oh please… You aren't in fit shape to walk yet, you're still dizzy!" The bulbasaur wrapped some vines around his midsection as he nearly toppled over, gently guiding him back to sit on the grass. He fought to breathe as he started thinking back to all the bizarre sensations he'd noticed earlier, patting himself over various places as he tried to make sense of it. The stretched out mouth, the lack of ears or a nose, those weren't hallucinations! A bill, earslits, and tiny nostrils on his bill! Come to think of it, his face _had_ felt softer when he'd buried it in his hands earlier! Aw geez, his hands, just look at them now! How was he supposed to grab anything with these stubby fingers! He didn't even want to think about those ridiculous feet! At least he still had black hair. Even if it was only three scruffy feathers…

"Oh my stars, please calm down! It's, um, it's going to be okay! Please try to breathe!" The bulbasaur was trying to pet him, but he couldn't focus on that right now! "You…you don't…understand!" He gasped out, weakly swatting a vine away. His lungs felt like they were on fire, like something was squeezing them. "I…I'm not…how…I can't...I can't!" This was what a heart attack felt like, wasn't it?! Oh geez, he'd just woken up as a psyduck, and now he was going to die! He was going to die right here, suffocating near a weird bulbasaur! He couldn't do anything but clutch his chest now, curling up into a ball. Not that he could get a decent grip, with these dumb, stubby, feathery hands! _I don't wanna die!_

He was dimly aware of the vines leaving him. Oh great, so now he was going to die _alone!_


	3. Chapter 3

It felt like hours to the psyduck, but in actuality, the bulbasaur returned about two minutes later. "Shh, it's going to be alright! Just open your mouth…" The vines gently held his bill open, and through his desperate gasps he felt some sort of liquid trickle down his throat. It was strong and earthy, like a bitter cheese, and he choked a bit before he managed to swallow it more easily. _Is it trying to poison me? That's easier than all this pain, I guess…_

Once the liquid stopped pouring, he collapsed onto his back, still clutching his chest. But slowly, he realized the crushing pain was lessening. His breathing was slowing down, and he could actually feel air filling his lungs like balloons, instead of before when they felt shrunken and immovable. A vine gently stroked his sweaty forehead, and his eyelids drooped, then closed. He…he felt calmer now. A little groggy even, although not enough to fall asleep. After several minutes of lying in silence, relishing the feeling of actually being able to breathe again, he spoke, eyes still shut. "What…what did you put in me?"

"Valerian Root." The gentle voice responded, still stroking him. "The herb grows right here in this clearing, thank the stars. It's a pink or white flower, but the roots are most important. They hold a useful oil, that's what I made you drink. We use it frequently on mission trips or back home, to treat anxiety and panic attacks, or as a sedative to insomniacs." The bulbasaur settled down to lie next to him. "Are you feeling better? You aren't _too_ sleepy, are you? I hope I didn't give you too much, I didn't aim to knock you out!"

"No, I'm not about to fall asleep or anything. Just relaxed, that's all." he murmured. "Thanks."

"It is my pleasure, Psyduck. Arceus wishes for his children to help one another when needed. I was only doing what was right."

"My name isn't Psyduck, y'know. It's actually Michael."

"Michael?" the bulbasaur echoed, tilting its head to stare at him as the creature pondered the word. "That's a rather funny name. Or rather…not funny, exactly, just strange. No, that isn't it either...Interesting? Yes, I suppose that shall have to do for now."

Michael sat up, staring at her curiously. "What's so interesting about it?"

"I believe Whiscash has mentioned it to me before. He is very knowledgeable about many things, but especially human lore. I don't know how he knows such things, but he does. He must have led a rather interesting life." It smiled fondly, but soon continued. "Anyhow, he once told me about a human concept. _'Anglers'_ , I believe they were called. One of them had your name, and fought all sorts of demons to protect the innocent humans, for Arceus."

"Anglers?" he stared at the bulbasaur in confusion, but then laughed as the truth dawned on him. "Ohhh, you mean _Angels_! Yeah, that's true, one of them had my name. But I don't think that's what my parents named me after, I'm not _that_ important. It's a pretty common name where I'm from."

"Where _are_ you from, exactly?" the bulbasaur questioned, leaning closer to study him. "You said you didn't recognize this place."

Michael stared at the grass type, eyebrows raised. "Didn't I tell you already?" The bulbasaur shook its head.

"No, you haven't. I think you may have started to, before you got all panicked. Frankly, I couldn't make heads or tails out of what you were saying! You were just babbling on and turning in circles!"

He hesitated. Would this bulbasaur even believe him? He'd already acted like he was crazy, though, when he got all panicked, and it had stuck by him then. What did he have to lose? "I guess there's no real way to explain it, so I'll just come out and say it, okay?" He scratched his newly-feathered head as the creature nodded, red eyes gazing at him intently. "I'm a human. I, uh, I don't know how I got here, or why I'm a psyduck, but I know I'm supposed to be a human!"

The bulbasaur was quiet for several moments. It kept its gaze fixed on him, not moving in the slightest. Aw geez, what was it gonna say? _I sound ridiculous…_ Unable to look the reptile in the face, he glanced away, fiddling with the grass. "Even if you don't believe me…please, don't laugh…" he mumbled.

Finally, it spoke. Its voice was even quieter than usual, as if it was speaking more to itself than to him. "There are no humans around here…none on this continent, or even those beyond…"

"None at all?!" he glanced back at her in bewilderment. But there had to be! Pokemon and humans lived side-by-side on this earth! Even if they were somewhere only inhabited by pokemon, someplace undiscovered, surely there were humans _somewhere!_

The bulbasaur shook its head, gazing at him sadly. "None at all, not on this earth. At one time, perhaps? No, actually, I don't think so, even Whiscash said they don't exist here. He knows of human lore, yes, but I don't believe it comes from anywhere here, or even beyond the seas. Perhaps they live on some other plane of existence, maybe. But not here."

This was quite a lot to process, it made his head hurt if he tried to think about it. So he gave up, sighing heavily. If they didn't exist _anywhere_ here, that meant he was probably screwed, right? "You probably think I'm completely nuts, don't you? It's fine." He flopped over dramatically, staring at the sky with his newly-acquired psyduck eyes. "I guess I'll just accept my fate. I'll just live as a freak for the rest of my days…wandering this human-less earth, on these big, webbed feet…No family, no home…just me…a psyduck…" He laughed. Not an entirely bitter sound, more just exasperated at the ridiculousness of it all. Of all the pokemon he could have turned into, perhaps a psyduck was fitting. Just as silly, just as useless. And fat. At least that part of him hadn't changed.

The bulbasaur stared at him in pity. This was taking quite the toll on him, wasn't it? It nudged his side with one foot to get his attention. "Michael? Michael, please pause your little melodrama!" The creature chuckled, smiling at him gently as it tried to get him to sit up. "I believe you, you know!"

He stared at the reptile, theatrics forgotten momentarily. "You…You do? Really?"

It nodded, grinning. "I most certainly do, Michael! You don't seem to have the soul of a liar, and no one could make up such a story and be so convincing about it! There may not be humans here, but Arceus must have a reason for sending you here! I believe you may have been sent from another plane, like a savior from the heavens! A savior for our world!"

He snorted, grinning. "A _savior_? Really? _That's_ what you're gonna go with? Dinner for some bigger pokemon, maybe. But a savior?"

The bulbasaur seemed unfazed by his teasing. "Fair enough, even if you aren't a savior, I still believe you were sent here for a reason! And I shall make it my mission to help you get back home as well!"

"I don't remember what my home was like though." He added, frowning. "I can't think of a city, or even what country. Or what my family was like. I…I can't remember anything. Just my name."

"Well, a name is still one piece of the puzzle, wouldn't you say, Michael?"

"Yeah, I guess…" He scratched his head.

"Then we have at least that to go on! It may take quite some time, but with Arceus to guide us, we'll get you back home, alright? I promise."

 _You shouldn't make a promise you can't keep._ Michael couldn't bring himself to say that out loud though. This pokemon seemed so earnest and eager to help, he couldn't just put them down! Especially after all the help they'd given him. Instead, he grinned, patting the bulbasaur on the head. "Alright then, thanks, …" He paused, realizing he had never figured out the bulbasaur's name! "Er, what should I call you?"

The bulbasaur giggled, nudging his petting hand affectionately. "Jasmine. My name is Jasmine."

What a pretty name, very melodic. He liked it. The bulbasaur must be a girl then, Michael decided.

"Okay then! Thanks, Jasmine! It's nice to meet you!"

"It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Michael."


End file.
